Student Non-Academic Conduct

The university is defined by tradition as a community dedicated to pursuing truth and advancing knowledge. It provides freedom to teach, research, create, learn, study, speak, associate, write and publish.

However, these freedoms come with responsibility. Each person must respect others' rights to exercise these same freedoms. To maintain these freedoms, the university must foster a learning environment that ensures the safety, security and dignity of every community member and ensure that students conduct themselves accordingly.

Policies and procedures related to non-academic student conduct include:

• Student Conduct Policy
  • Student Misconduct Complaint Procedure
  • Student Misconduct Appeal Procedure
  • Student Misconduct Ticket Procedure
• Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Policy
• Accommodation Policy
• Discrimination and Harassment Policy
• Information Technology Use and Management Policy
• Protocol 91: Protocol for Urgent Cases of Disruptive, Threatening or Violent Conduct

What is non-academic misconduct?

Non-academic misconduct falls into two main categories. Interpersonal misconduct includes violence, threats, harassment and other behaviour that harms people. University-related misconduct includes disruption, obstruction, property damage, unauthorized use of university resources and other conduct involving university property, processes and resources. Complete definitions appear in Schedules A and B of the Student Conduct Policy.

Reporting non-academic misconduct

If you have concerns about a student’s non-academic conduct and want to know your support and response options, contact the Dean of Students (Student Success and Experience) at deanofstudents@ualberta.ca.

If you feel unsafe, please contact University of Alberta Protective Services for assistance with safety planning. If you have an immediate concern about your safety or the safety of the community, please call 9-1-1.

Non-academic misconduct procedure

Those impacted by a student's non-academic misconduct have several support and response options. The Dean of Students is responsible for accepting complaints under the Student Conduct Policy.

Once these complaints have been investigated, a report of the facts related to the case is sent to Student Conduct and Accountability. We base our decisions on the information in the report and our hearings with the complainant and respondent.

What to expect if I proceed with a complaint

The Dean of Students first assesses whether the Student Conduct Policy applies to the alleged misconduct. If it does, they accept the complaint and assign it to an investigator.

The investigator requests to interview everyone involved and collects all available evidence, then provides a detailed report of their findings. This report is based on what the statements and evidence support, not on judgments about who to believe.

A Student Conduct Officer then holds a hearing to answer two questions: first, did the student violate the Student Conduct Policy? And second, what is the appropriate sanction? Both the complainant and respondent receive a written decision explaining the reasons. For more detailed information about this process, refer to the Student Misconduct Complaint Procedure.

What to expect during a hearing

A hearing gives complainants and respondents the opportunity to be heard before the Student Conduct Officer makes a decision. Participants can provide information, present arguments and respond to evidence during this process.

Hearings can involve written document exchanges, oral meetings (virtual or in-person), between the decision maker and each of the parties and witnesses. Each party has an individual hearing with the Student Conduct Officer and may bring an advisor or support person.

During the hearing, the Student Conduct Officer typically:

• reviews the evidence with the party
• listens to any additional evidence or statements they provide
• asks clarifying questions
• Provides an opportunity to discuss the incident's impact and potential sanctions

The Student Conduct Officer does not provide a decision during the hearing. Instead, they make their decision after hearing from everyone involved and then provide it in writing along with their reasons.

Your rights as a complainant

A complainant has equal procedural rights to the respondent. That means if you are the complainant, you will have the right to:

• be accompanied by a support person throughout the process
• an impartial decision-maker
• reasonable disclosure of the available evidence
• speak to the person making the decision
• suggest new avenues of investigation
• respond to information or evidence that does not accord with your account of the incident
• receive a copy of the decision in the case
• appeal a decision with which you do not agree

Role of the Investigator and Student Conduct Officer

An investigator impartially interviews all parties in the case—the complainant, respondent and any witnesses who may provide additional information—and collects all relevant available evidence. They create a report on the facts of the case and send it to Student Conduct and Accountability to be used by Student Conduct Officers during hearings.

A Student Conduct Officer is the university official who makes decisions about student conduct. They handle non-academic misconduct cases under the Student Conduct Policy and academic cases under the Student Academic Integrity Policy when severe sanctions (suspension or expulsion) are recommended.

Student Conduct Officers hold hearings and review the available evidence before rendering a decision on whether a university policy violation occurred and, if so, what sanctions will be put in place. These decisions can be appealed.

Options after reporting non-academic misconduct

As a higher education institution, the University of Alberta follows procedures that align with its academic mission of creating a safe, vibrant and supportive learning environment. When students violate the Student Conduct Policy, the university emphasizes rehabilitation, learning, remediation and personal accountability whenever possible.

Non-disciplinary accountability options

Non-disciplinary accountability options for resolution are also available, including educational, restorative and other facilitated processes to create space for interpersonal accountability, with or without a complaint.

Formal complaint process

A reporting individual can initiate the complaint process by providing the Dean of Students with a general overview of the conduct at issue, including:

• the nature of the alleged misconduct
• name of the person alleged to have committed the misconduct
• approximate dates, times and locations of the alleged misconduct

Learn more about the formal complaint process »

Interim measures

Interim measures are non-disciplinary conditions or restrictions that the university may apply to a person alleged to have committed a violation under the Student Conduct Policy or the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Policy. The purposes of interim measures are to ensure the reporting individual’s safety or the safety of the university’s learning environment, to remove barriers to the reporting individual’s access to the learning environment, to discourage or prevent retaliation, prevent further harm and preserve the university’s ability to conduct an investigation.

Interim measures are not based on a finding of a policy violation, are not considered sanctions under any university complaint process and can not be interpreted or used in a complaint as evidence that the person under allegation committed misconduct.

What if I disagree with the outcome?

Both the complainant and the respondent have a right to appeal the decision of the Student Conduct Officer to the Student Misconduct Appeal Panel. The appeal is not a rehearing of the case, but a check on the decision of the Student Conduct Officer to ensure that it was procedurally and substantively fair. You can find detailed information about the appeal process in the Student Misconduct Appeal Procedure.

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Student Conduct Policy

Overview

The Student Conduct Policy (SCP) is a formal policy that applies to all students at the university. This includes every individual who is registered in courses, is currently attending or has graduated from the university. It provides information on why the policy is in place and the university’s approach to misconduct. Please refer to the Student Misconduct Complaint Procedure for more details on the way student misconduct is addressed.